By: Kekeli K. Blamey
Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced 32-year-old accountant Edward Unicorn to two years imprisonment for stealing GH¢40,433.50 from the Ghana Police Church.
Unicorn explained to the court that his addiction to online betting led him to squander the church’s funds. He claimed he was desperate to win but consistently lost.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam, convicted Unicorn based on his guilty plea. The judge ordered him to pay a fine of GH¢5,000 and return GH¢2,775 retrieved from him to the church.
According to Chief Inspector Anim Darko, the prosecution, the complainant is a police officer and chaplain of the church, while Unicorn served as the church’s accountant.
Unicorn’s responsibilities included collecting cash from ushers, managing mobile money accounts, preparing payroll, and submitting monthly reports to the Financial Committee.
On August 17, 2024, Unicorn took the church’s mobile money phone and spent the evening at Jerry’s Pub and Purple Pub at Osu with friends, including two Nigerian prostitutes.
Investigations revealed unauthorized transactions, including a GH¢136 payment from the church’s account at Purple Pub. Unicorn deposited GH¢18,303 into Wishwell Kofi Yorke’s account and GH¢13,588 into his personal account, using the funds to play Aviator, an online betting game.
Unicorn initially feigned mental health issues but was treated and discharged from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
The theft was discovered on August 19, 2024, prompting the complainant to file a report at the East Legon Police Station. Unicorn was arrested and remanded.
Further investigations uncovered discrepancies in the church’s accounts, including:
- July 14, 2024: Only GH¢5,000 of GH¢7,000 collected as offertory was deposited.
- July 21, 2024: GH¢6,000 of GH¢6,500 collected was deposited.
- August 18, 2024: GH¢3,143.50 collected as second offertory remained unaccounted.
Unicorn’s conviction followed reconciliation of the church’s accounts.
